Designer and TV host Libby Langdon mixes a touch of formality with relaxed comfort in her Sag Harbor, New York, home

The vivacious interior designer Libby Langdon has a long roster of clients who consider her to be a close friend. Outgoing and perpetually cheerful, she makes the process of feathering one's nest a collaborative adventure rather than a wallet-draining chore.

"I love the process of sharing ideas with people from different walks of life," Libby says. "I pick their brains to find out how they feel about the way they live now, what they envision for their future, and what their wildest design dreams are. It's my job to help escort clients on the path toward those dreams."

The designer, who splits her time between an apartment on Manhattan's Upper West Side and her weekend house in Sag Harbor, New York (featured here), also spends a lot of time on the road "making new friends everywhere." As a resident design expert on the Discovery Channel series Small Space, Big Style, she spends several weeks of each month traveling to film television segments in which she dispenses advice on such decorating issues as choosing harmonious color palettes, working with the furniture you already have, or looking at your surroundings with fresh eyes.

"Designing is such a part of my broader world, part of the real me," Libby says. "Unlike some people, I don't need to draw the line between work and downtime." However, Libby, who studied fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and then worked for a brief time in New York City's garment district, followed zigzagging life and career paths before settling into her current role. Although her face is familiar now on HGTV, you might also recognize her as "town troublemaker Kay" from her acting stint on daytime TV's Another World more than a decade ago. "I always knew I wanted to be a creative person in some form, but my career now in interior design fits me like a glove."

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A native of High Point, North Carolina, Libby is the daughter of a textile executive father and an interior designer mother. "Decor was sort of seeping into my skin from a young age," she says. She credits her mom, Mary Ann Luedke, who still designs an array of furniture lines, as her primary role model. "I inherited my mother's sense of style and her rules of thumb, such as limiting your color combinations to no more than three colors so things don't get too busy," says Libby.

Her five-bedroom, shingle-style spec house in Sag Harbor was built three years ago. It attracted Libby because of its many porches and generously sized rooms. Purchased after a recent divorce, "the house allowed me to fill the guest rooms with friends and family and laughter." And since Libby is quite adept at pulling together an interior on a budget and on a tight schedule, it didn't take long to make it her own. She decorated this house, top to bottom, in 12 weeks, relying upon Internet furniture and accessories sites, tried-and-true standbys like Pottery Barn and Target, and her favorite flea-market haunts on Long Island and in Connecticut.

The results of her efforts have proven to be completely satisfying. "Making over a room, cooking for friends, and walking to the water from the house feeds me creatively," Libby says. "I'm right where I'm supposed to be."

Up Close with Libby

What are some of your favorite ways to give a room personality on a budget? Spend your money on eye-popping oversize art: a big mirror, framed poster or friend's painting. The art doesn't have to be expensive. Frame a favorite scarf or hang an old piece of wrought iron found at a junk shop.

Which is your favorite room? My bedroom is my personal retreat.

What are some of your favorite things? Oversize bone china teacups and saucers, which I use to start my day with soothing tea. Music is important to me—from the Rolling Stones to classical symphonies and my new favorite singer, John Legend. I love cooking for friends and family. And I'm addicted to New York Jets football—sports rules!

What is your favorite time of day? I'm an early riser, and love to wake up in Sag Harbor and enjoy the sunrise.

What one word describes your style? Inviting.

Personal Touch Libby knows the ropes as far as creating major effects from minor investments. Here are a few of her favorite tips:

Layer your bed linens in a mix of patterns and colors to make your bedroom seem more spacious. Layering adds depth and looks airier than a solid, overstuffed comforter.

Spend money on one major piece. Then fill in with high-style furnishings from affordable retailers such as Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn or Room & Board.

Brighten up with low-cost lighting. Under-cabinet lights in the kitchen illuminate countertops; ambient light from an overhead or pendant fixture seems to enlarge a room.

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